The Town FilesAmherst, Texas
City in Lamb County · population 678 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $35,500
- Household income
- $63,611
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 39
- Median age
- 37.3
Amherst is a city of 678 people in Lamb County, Texas. The median home is worth $35,500, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Texas towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Texas towns, quieter than 84% of Texas towns.
- #2 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Texas
- #3 in 25 Small Towns in Texas With the Cheapest Homes
- #23 in The 50 Most Affordable Small Towns in America
- #23 in The 50 Most Affordable Places in America
- #35 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Cheapest Homes
- #35 in 50 Places in America With the Cheapest Homes
How Amherst ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Amherst is worth $35,500, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 0.6 times the median household income of $63,611, which is more affordable than 100% of Texas towns. Median rent is $779 a month. 67.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Amherst | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $35,500 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $779 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $63,611 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 0.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 67.6% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Amherst
| People | Amherst | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 47.9% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 38.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 89.2% |
Weather in Amherst
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 22.9°F. About 18.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 86 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Amherst since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1957 about 2.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 65 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 25, 2025.
Severe weather in Lamb County since 1996
Lamb County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
| February 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4255: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lamb County
Lamb County had 3,938 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,612 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Amherst itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Amherst
1 public school with 114 students, about 5.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMHERST SCHOOL | PK-12 | 114 | 5.7 |
Towns near Amherst
- Sudan, TX7.3 mi · 940 people · home $100,400
- Littlefield, TX7.9 mi · 5,943 people · home $79,400
- Earth, TX15.3 mi · 901 people · home $78,300
- Olton, TX19.7 mi · 1,989 people · home $50,800
- Anton, TX20.1 mi · 907 people · home $63,500
- Muleshoe, TX23.4 mi · 5,160 people · home $98,600
- Morton, TX28.0 mi · 1,690 people · home $42,600
- Levelland, TX29.9 mi · 12,652 people · home $140,400
Amherst questions
Is Amherst, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Amherst scores better for retirees than 54% of Texas towns and quieter than 84%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Amherst?
The median owner-occupied home in Amherst is valued at $35,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,611, so homes cost about 0.6 times income. Median rent is $779 a month.
What is the weather like in Amherst?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 22.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.0 inches of precipitation a year and 7.2 inches of snow.
Does Amherst get tornadoes?
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Amherst since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1957. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)